Toughening up feet for a long hike......

[saltysack]

I've heard lots of ways to toughen up feet....curious what others found useful and actually worked. I usually don't have blisters probs but then again I've never hiked more 60 miles at a time. I'm planning to do a 15 day jmt thru this sept. Want to do what ever I can make sure I complete....I can't control altitude but anything I can I want to address...I do plan to take the recommended ginkgo a few weeks before I start as well as get a script for diamox to deal with altitude...don't want issues with feet...I did buy skin glide and plan to change dt socks at lunch daily..


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[bemental]

I've heard lots of ways to toughen up feet....curious what others found useful and actually worked. I usually don't have blisters probs but then again I've never hiked more 60 miles at a time. I'm planning to do a 15 day jmt thru this sept. Want to do what ever I can make sure I complete....I can't control altitude but anything I can I want to address...I do plan to take the recommended ginkgo a few weeks before I start as well as get a script for diamox to deal with altitude...don't want issues with feet...I did buy skin glide and plan to change dt socks at lunch daily..


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Salty, surprised to see you asking about feet.

Break in the shoes (and the feet) with some training walks before hand. I'd start lightly loaded, and work up the weight to determine if there are any problems with the shoes at various loads.

Mimic the conditions of your potential hike (terrain) as best as possible. This is for exploratory purposes of ensuring no hot spots, not for conditioning of legs (but it's important for that as well).

Try various means of trying the shoes as well. As we learned the other day, there are various holes for laces to go in (still dumbfounds me to this day).

I think it took me about 5-10 day hikes to decide on thee different pairs of shoes. Two of them didn't work out, but the third ended up being *just right*.


Hope this helps.

[MuddyWaters]

I had to rinse socks out every 10 miles. I can feel when the abrasive dirt builds up.

On the AT, i have gone a week without even removing socks..

[bemental]

I've heard lots of ways to toughen up feet....curious what others found useful and actually worked. I usually don't have blisters probs but then again I've never hiked more 60 miles at a time. I'm planning to do a 15 day jmt thru this sept. Want to do what ever I can make sure I complete....I can't control altitude but anything I can I want to address...I do plan to take the recommended ginkgo a few weeks before I start as well as get a script for diamox to deal with altitude...don't want issues with feet...I did buy skin glide and plan to change dt socks at lunch daily..


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Actually, now that I think about it, you *can* control altitude. We used to train in gas masks to make our lungs workout harder, but you can always buy one of those little breathing apparatuses that allows you to work your lungs at different 'elevations', basically a resistance exercise for your lungs.

That is, if you're really worried about it.

[saltysack]

Salty, surprised to see you asking about feet.

Break in the shoes (and the feet) with some training walks before hand. I'd start lightly loaded, and work up the weight to determine if there are any problems with the shoes at various loads.

Mimic the conditions of your potential hike (terrain) as best as possible. This is for exploratory purposes of ensuring no hot spots, not for conditioning of legs (but it's important for that as well).

Try various means of trying the shoes as well. As we learned the other day, there are various holes for laces to go in (still dumbfounds me to this day).


Hope this helps.

I realize shoes broken in etc...I've been wearing wildcat trail runners for several years...I realize break in etc...I'll be wearing a pair that's got at least 100 trail miles on them with a new pair of green super feet....only time had blisters was when hiked in wet socks for a day or two..now bring a second pair to swap out daily...I was just curios as I want to complete this hike as its lots of planning,$$$ etc...Trying to see if there's any secret foot care out there I'm not aware of...not worried so much about being in shape as over never had issue with that as I'm a meat head(what my wife calls me).....5'11" 215... Can do lunges all day with 80lbs....carrying -30lbs daily no sweat....


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[saltysack]

Actually, now that I think about it, you *can* control altitude. We used to train in gas masks to make our lungs workout harder, but you can always buy one of those little breathing apparatuses that allows you to work your lungs at different 'elevations', basically a resistance exercise for your lungs.

That is, if you're really worried about it.

Ha...I can see it now wearing a gas mask at gym....


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[bemental]

That's what we did on a military base, just not in the gym. Usually running trails or on the obstacle course.

Here's an example for you on the altitude/respiratory trainer: http://www.powerlung.com/region/us/products/trainer/

[Water Rat]

Saltwater and wandering on the beach are a great way to toughen the skin. Both will draw moisture out of your skin and cause it to toughen up. Just watch out for broken shells/glass!

[bemental]

I had to rinse socks out every 10 miles. I can feel when the abrasive dirt builds up.

On the AT, i have gone a week without even removing socks..

Maybe wearing dirt, sandy socks will toughen your feet up?

[saltysack]

Saltwater and wandering on the beach are a great way to toughen the skin. Both will draw moisture out of your skin and cause it to toughen up. Just watch out for broken shells/glass!

Y I had heard that...if that's the case I shouldn't have any blister....in the saltwater every weekend...dive,sup,drink......️


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[Water Rat]

While it might not work for everyone, I have noticed that the salt & sand toughen the skin on my feet. Have yet (knock on wood!) to have blister issues. Wandering in the sand also helps strengthen the legs and helps with cardio... What a horrible prescription!

[bigcranky]

Maybe wearing dirt, sandy socks will toughen your feet up?

Earl Shaffer, the first guy to thru hike the AT, put sand in his boots, no socks, to toughen his feet. But he was a tough guy to begin with.

[Pedaling Fool]

Walk around the block barefoot. I did as preps for my first LD hike and it worked, no blisters. However, I did have serious blisters after my first walk around the block in my neighborhood (~0.5 mile walk on black asphalt), and they hurt for a few days really bad, but better to hurt at home than on the trail.

I now run barefoot a few times per month to keep them toughen'd up.

[saltysack]

Walk around the block barefoot. I did as preps for my first LD hike and it worked, no blisters. However, I did have serious blisters after my first walk around the block in my neighborhood (~0.5 mile walk on black asphalt), and they hurt for a few days really bad, but better to hurt at home than on the trail.

I now run barefoot a few times per month to keep them toughen'd up.

Howdy neighbor...I also live n AB....I'll keep eye out for the crazy guy jogging barefoot on this hot asphalt!


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[kolokolo]

I have also had foot problems (blisters etc) during section hikes. The thing that has worked the best for me is to jog with no socks starting a month or so before the hike. If you're not a runner, then wear your shoes around the house without socks. Definitely toughens the feet.

[Walkintom]

Rubbing alcohol will toughen them as well, I've heard.

[MuddyWaters]

When we were kids we went around barefoot all the time in summer
The skin on our feet was thick, we could walk on scorching pavement without it hurting .

[juma]

when you get to sierra, put leukotape in all the places you might/have gotten blisters. change about every three days. your skin will toughen under the tape. you won't get blisters. the tape protects as your feet toughen. bottom line, I'd tape the whole way if I were you. I hope you don't wear tight shoes. that is the only thing that WILL over come leukotape.

some other words of wisdom- you will go to sierra and hike where there is less oxygen due to altitude. where you live, water in the air also limits oxygen in the air. its not the quite the same but hiking in high humidity is not unlike hiking at higher altitude to a degree. maybe do some trail running in the heat of the day to get to the needed oxygen deficit to train and gain red blood cells.

[saltysack]

when you get to sierra, put leukotape in all the places you might/have gotten blisters. change about every three days. your skin will toughen under the tape. you won't get blisters. the tape protects as your feet toughen. bottom line, I'd tape the whole way if I were you. I hope you don't wear tight shoes. that is the only thing that WILL over come leukotape.

some other words of wisdom- you will go to sierra and hike where there is less oxygen due to altitude. where you live, water in the air also limits oxygen in the air. its not the quite the same but hiking in high humidity is not unlike hiking at higher altitude to a degree. maybe do some trail running in the heat of the day to get to the needed oxygen deficit to train and gain red blood cells.

Interesting.....thx...I wear trail runners 1-1.5 size larger than regular shoes...I wear 11.5-12 in most shoes and buy my wildcats size 13...running in the dead of heat in summer is brutal here....running just 3 miles is tough when it's over 90* with high humidity here...I hate running here during summer but will do it on my off days at the gym..seems like hiking 15 miles is easier than running 3...


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[juma]

Interesting.....thx...I wear trail runners 1-1.5 size larger than regular shoes...I wear 11.5-12 in most shoes and buy my wildcats size 13...running in the dead of heat in summer is brutal here....running just 3 miles is tough when it's over 90* with high humidity here...I hate running here during summer but will do it on my off days at the gym..seems like hiking 15 miles is easier than running 3...


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only concern is how thick are your socks. I wear about the same size differential but normally just use nylon dress socks instead of wool or thicker socks. this is with thick sole hoka shoes. hopefully, the leuko will work with your socks/shoesize combo. I like the nylon dress socks out there in sierra especially. you can wash them every 4 hours and they dry in an hour or less. they are slippery and vent well too.